Danish Prime Minister asserts espionage against an ally is unacceptable, following accusations of US intelligence gathering in Greenland.
In a heated exchange, the Danish prime minister has slammed the U.S.'s actions, saying "that's spying against a buddy!" after reports surfaced about an alleged increase in American intelligence gathering on Greenland.
Mette Frederiksen's fiery comments are the latest salvo in the ongoing spat over Donald Trump's attempts to take control of the Arctic island, which is a semi-autonomous territory under the Kingdom of Denmark.
The remarks come after a report from The Wall Street Journal claimed Washington's spies have been told to focus on Greenland, including its independence movement and sentiment around US extraction of its precious minerals.
Things escalated this week when Jennifer Hall Godfrey, the acting head of the US embassy in Copenhagen, was called in for a meeting with high-ranking Danish diplomat Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen over the issue.
Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Denmark's foreign minister, called the information in the report "deeply concerning" and said "we don't snoop on our buddies".
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen called the spying reports "outrageous" and "insulting".
Although Tulsi Gabbard, the US director of national intelligence, did not deny the story, she did condemn those responsible for leaking classified information. In a statement, she said "leaking classified information is a criminal act and those responsible will be held accountable".
Refusing to back down, Gabbard added that she had made three criminal referrals to the US justice department over intelligence community leaks, accusing The Wall Street Journal of "aiding deep state actors who seek to undermine the president by politicizing and leaking classified information."
History shows this isn't the first time U.S.-Denmark relations have been strained over Greenland. In March, Nielsen said Washington was "not getting" the country, and Trump admitted that military force was not off the table for acquiring the island.
The Island, which is teeming with valuable resources, is a self-governing territory under Denmark. However, Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to annex the island, claiming it is essential for U.S. national security purposes.
Anger over Trump's advances has gripped Greenland's residents and politicians, with local and Danish leaders also condemning the comments. The recent spying accusations add more fuel to the fire.
Days after the allegations, U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited Greenland, visiting an American military base and accusing Denmark of and underinvesting in the people of Greenland and their security.
This new round of tension highlights the underlying geopolitical sensitivities surrounding Arctic sovereignty, resource interests, and alliance trust. Despite the ongoing spat, no public escalation beyond diplomatic protests has occurred so far.
[1] https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-steps-up-intelligence-gathering-on-greenland-11601581350[2] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50466145[3] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-denmark-greenland-idUSKCN24428E[4] https://www.politico.eu/article/u-s-intelligence-surveillance-greenland-donald-trump-denmark/
- The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, has critiqued the U.S.'s actions concerning espionage in Greenland, stating, "We don't snoop on our buddies."
- The alleged increase in American intelligence gathering on Greenland, specifically focusing on its independence movement and mineral resources, has been met with disrespectful comments from both Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Denmark's foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.
- The ongoing spat over Greenland's sovereignty and resource interests has influenced the general news, politics, and policy-and-legislation discussions, with the recent spying allegations adding more intensity to the ongoing dispute.
- Addressing the growing tensions, U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited Greenland and accused Denmark of underinvesting in the people of Greenland and their security, further escalating the war of words between the two nations.
